Neck wrap apparatus



United States Patent Inventor Michael Albert Lavigne 400 Mount Pleasant,Apt. 4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Appl. No. 871,411 Filed Oct. 22, 1969Patented Oct. 26, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.519,654,Jan. 10, 1966, now abandoned.

NECK WRAP APPARATUS 5 Claims, 26 Drawing Figs.

11.8. C1 156/566, 156/571 Int. Cl B65c 9/36, B65c 3/18 ll ield of Search156/5 71,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,023,143 4/1912 Ermold156/571 X 1,875,301 8/1932 Fredsell 156/364 2,601,934 7/1952 Tess156/481 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner.lamesM. l-lanley Attorney-Alan Swabey ABSTRACT: A label-applying machinewhich comprises three stations, the first station including anarticulated label applicator having three individual pads for applyingthree different labels, and particularly a separate pad for applying alabel to the neck portion of a bottle. The next station includes aformer which initiates the wrapping of the neck label about the neck ofabottle and the third station includes a sliding carriage on which aremounted articulated arms which are adapted to sequentially wrap thelabel about the neck of the bottle PATENTEU 25 I97! 3, 616,092

' SHEET 1 BF 7 I INVEN'I'UK ATTORNEY Michael A. LAVIGNE PATENTEU [m 2 615m SHEET 5 BF 7 INVENTUR Michael A. LAVIGNE ATTORNEY PATENTEDUBT 2619?!3,616,092

SHEET 6 [IF 7 I IIQ 200 INVENTOR Michael A. LAVIGNE A TTORNFV NlE'ClltWRAP AIPIANA'IIJF This is a continuation in part application of U.S.Fat. application Ser. No. 519,654 filed Jan. 10, 1966 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Fieid of Invention This invention relates toapplying labels to objects, and more specifically to the method andapparatus for overwrapping labels about the necks of bottles.

2. Description of Prior Art As is well known, machines exist which applylabels to the body portion of bottles. However, up till now, nopractical machine construction has been developed to wrap a neat labelabout the neck of a bottle. In present bottling works, up to 12 units oflabor are required to wrap such labels about the necks of bottles. This,as can be readily understood, is expensive besides being time-consuming.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a method andthe mechanism required to wrap labels, in a neat manner, about the necksof bottles. The present invention also aims to provide a machine whichcan be readily mounted and adapted to existing labelling machinespresently used to paste labels to the body of the bottle.

According to the present invention, a mechanism is supplemented to knownlabel-applying apparatus comprising three stations. The first includesmeans whereby a label having a length greater than the circumference ofthe neck of the bottle is tacked to the neck of the bottle. The neckstation includes reciprocating means mounted to the label-applyingapparatus spaced from the latter station whereby the tacked label ispartially formed about the neck of the bottle. Spaced from thesestations, but mounted on the known label-applying machine is areciprocating mechanism provided for wrapping the label in anoverlapping manner about the neck of the bottle, said reciprocatingmechanism includes a first pressure-applying means for forming one endof the label to its full extent about one side of the bottle neck, asecond pressure-applying means for forming the other end of the labelabout the other side of the neck and overlapping on the first formed endof the label, and finally a third pressure-applying means for securingthe neck wrapper.

FIG. I is a view in perspective elevation of a bottle with labels andneck wrapper applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle shown in FIG. I toillustrate the relative position of the neck wrapper (double wrap).

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in plan and in section of aportion of the label-applying apparatus showing the starting or initialposition of wrapper, wrapper holding plate, as the wrapper is initiallyapplied to the bottle neck.

FIG. 4 is a view in plan of the neck wrapper forming rolls as theyappear in the initial stages of applying.

FIG. I is a view in plan of the first movement of the wrapper applyingcylindrical brushes as they wrap or apply the left side of the labeltightly to the bottle neck. This is Stage 3 of the wrapper application.

FIG. s is a view in plan of the further movement of the wrapper applyingbrushes completing the wrap, placing the righthand side of the label inoverlapped juxtaposed relationship over the previously applied labelend. This is Stage 4.

FIG. 7 is a view in plan of the last movement of the wrapper applyingbrushes as the left-hand brush smooths the end of the overlapping toplayer of the wrapper in finished condition, the smoothing movement ofthe brush being shown in broken lines.

FIGS. [I through I2 are somewhat diagrammatic views in side elevationand partially in section of a label pickup, gluing and applying stationin an in-line bottling machine showing in step-by-step sequence themodified apparatus of the invention; FIG. d showing the initial stepafter a set of labels has been applied and the glue-applying paddle isin contact with the glue roller after it has been coated by contact withthe roller from the glue supply.

FIG. 9 shows the continuing movement of the glue paddle as it clears theglue roller and the applicator has almost returned to its readyposition.

FIG. It) shown the glue paddle in contact with the stacked labels withthe applicator in its lower ready position and the glue rollercontacting the glue supply roller.

FIG. II shows the glue paddle carrying the labels in its outer positionwith the applicator pads in contact with the unglued side of the labels.

FIG. 12 shown the glue paddle as it has separated, clearing it from itthe applicator pads while the glue roller is returning to its readyposition.

FIG. I3 is a partial view taken along the line I3- I3 of FIG. II toillustrate the glue paddle prior to its separating action clearing itfrom the applicator.

FIG. I4 is a partial view taken along the line lld- I41 of FIG. I2 toillustrate the glue paddles separating action clearing it from theapplicator.

FIG. I5 is a top plan view of the labelling stations of a bottlingmachine which embody the label-applying apparatus of the inventionshowing the three stations involved in applying and wrapping the neck ofthe bottles preceding down the line.

FIG. I6 is a side view of a portion of the construction (station I)shown in FIG. I5 illustrating in more detail the label holding anddispensing arrangement with the label applicator shown in more detail.

FIG. I7 is a side view partially in section and in a larger scale of theapplicator and associated mechanism as it would appear in label-applyingposition relative to a bottle on the line.

FIG. I8 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. I5 (stage 3) toillustrate in more detail the construction of the neck wrap applicatorapparatus as it would appear in ready position prior to the wrappingsequence shown in FIGS. 3 through 6.

FIG. I9 is a cross-sectional view of the construction of FIG. II as seenalong the lines 19-19.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the neck wrap applicator apparatus showngenerally in FIG. I5 and with reference to the diagrammatic showing inFIG. 5 to illustrate the actuating mechanism effecting the sequentialmovement of the applicator brushes (first contact).

FIG. 21 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIG. 20 and withreference to FIG. 5 to illustrate the continuing action of the actuatingmechanism.

FIG. 22 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIG. 20 and 21and with reference to FIG. ii, to further illustrate the continuingaction of the actuating mechanism as the movement of the left-hand brushis completed and the right hand brush is working in its overlappingaction.

FIG. 23 is a top plan view corresponding in location to FIGS. 20, 211,and 22 and with reference to FIG. 7 to illustrate the final action ofthe actuating mechanism as the movement of the right-hand brush makesits final smoothing stroke.

FIG. 24 is a back view of the label applicator to illustrate in moredetail the relative position of the actuating leverage as it wouldappear for example in the location shown in FIG. I7.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the upper portion of the label applicatorto illustrate the linkage mechanism and its location shown in FIG. 117.

FIG. 26 is a back view corresponding generally to FIG. 24 and as seenalong the line 26-26 of FIG. I7 to illustrate in more detail the linkagedirectly connected to the label-applying pads.

With particular reference to FIG. I5 of the drawings, a conveyor belt 30is shown conveying bottles 32 past the three stations M, as and 38 whichperform the various steps of applying the neck wrapper.

In station 3d the labels, including the neck wrapper, are picked from amagazine, glue is applied to the labels and the) are applied to thebottle. The body labels are well secured since they only cover a portionof the front of the bottle. However, the neck wrapper label is onlytacked to the neck of the bottle.

At station 36, which is spaced from station 34, the neck wrapper labelwhich is tacked to the neck of the bottle on the conveyor is partiallyformed about the neck.

Finally, at station 38 the neck wrapper is completely formed about theneck of the bottle. Of course, the mechanism will be described in detailhereinafter.

Station 34 (shown in FIGS. 16 and 17) comprises an upright frame 40mounted to the bottling machine base 10. A conveyor 30 also mounted tobase brings the bottle 30 to a position in front of station 34. A backrest 41 is also provided opposite station 34 for supporting the bottle32 during operation.

Mounted to the upper portion of frame 40 is a magazine 42. It includesthree separate label holders 42a, b, and 0, connected together by meansof connecting rods 44, and in such a way that the bottom label of eachlabel holder 42a, b and c is in the same inclined plane.

Mounted to the base 10 is a glue bath 46 comprising a reservoir 48 and aroller 50 fixedly mounted on a driven shaft 52 in the reservoir 48 sothat half the cylinder 50 is submerged in the glue solution 53.

Projecting from the uppermost portion of upright frame 40 is ahorizontally extending bracket 54. A downwardly extending rocking arm 56is in the form of a bellcrank lever is pivotally mounted to the end ofbracket 54, and has at its lower end glue roller 58 adapted to rotatefreely about a horizontal axis. A short arm 60, part of the bellcranklever, is articulated to a connecting rod 62 which in turn is connectedto a conventional actuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine,causing the rocking arm 56 to swing to and from the glue bath 46 wherethe glue roller 58 comes into contact with the driven glue-applyingroller 50.

Joumaled at each end to the upright frame 40 is a rocking shaft 64 whichin turn mounts a downwardly extending picker element 66 for fixedrotation about a horizontal axis. The rocking shaft 64 is also actuatedby conventional actuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine sothat it swings in operable relation with the rocking arm 56.

The picking element 66 is of the known type and includes closelyadjacent blades 69 and 70 each mounted on rocking shaft members 64a and64b respectively which are slidable mounted and keyed in sleeves 72a and72b. The sleeves 72a and 72b may be rocked, the shaft members 64a and64b are likewise rocked but are free to shift longitudinally of thesleeves 72a and 72b at any time.

Mounted to the base 10 at a location adjacent the conveyor mounting is abearing bracket 74, which provides suitable support for oscillatingshaft 76. One end of a suitable crank 78 is fixedly connected to one endof shaft 76, and at the other it is connected with suitable actuatingmeans on the bottling machine. Mounted for fixed rotation to theoscillating shaft 76 is the label applicator 80 which will be describedin more detail. The label applicator 80 extends upwardly from thebearing bracket 74 and swings to and from the side of bottle 32 on whichthe labels are to be applied.

Primarily, the label applicator 80 comprises a support member 82 threepads 84, 86 and 88 corresponding to the two labels and neck wrapper andthe location on the bottle 32 where they are to be applied. Since theneck is not in the same vertical plane as the front of the body ofbottle 32, the uppermost pad 88 must be brought forward than the pads 84and 86 in order to reach the neck of bottle 32. However, when the labelapplicator 80 is swung away from the bottle 32, the pads 84, 86 and 88must be in a common plane in order to collect the labels from the pickerelement 66.

To this end, support member 82 comprises a first elongated swingingframe 90 keyed to oscillating shaft 76. The swinging frame 90 (in FIG.26) includes two parallel flat bars 92 and 94 subtending a cross member96 midway of the frame 90. The flat bars 92 and 94 are welded at one endto a transverse sleeve 98 which is fixed to shaft 76. The flat bars 92and 94 from a side view (as seen in FIG. 17) have three substantiallystraight portions 92a, b and c and similarly 9411, b and c which are atobtuse angles to each other.

Pivoted to the angled portion between flat bar portions 92b and c (andalso 94b and c, but only one side will be described since the structureis identical) is a bellcrank 99. TO one portion of the bellcrank 99,label pad 84 and label pad 86 are adjustably mounted thereto.

Spaced from bearing'bracket 74 is a second bearing bracket 100subtending a stub shaft 102 pivotally mounted an adjustable connectingrod 104 adapted to swing about a horizontal axis parallel to the axisthrough oscillating shaft 76. A pair of links 106 and 108 arearticulated at one end to the end of the bellcrank 99 opposite the pads84 and 86. The links 106 and 108 are articulated at a point midway oftheir lengths to the connecting rod 104.

A stop 109 is provided on frame as shown in FIG. 16 which engages thelinks 106 and 108 and acts as a lower limit to the down swing of thelabel applicator 80.

At the uppermost end of swinging frame 90, a second beilcrank 110 ispivotally mounted. Neck wrapper pad 88 is pivotally mounted midway oflongitudinally extending bellcrank am 112, and 113, and the top andbottom edges of pad 88 are spring biased at 114 and 116 to the bellcrankarm 112a.

The other arms 118 and 119 of bellcrank 110 are adjustably secured to aconnecting rod 117 which is in turn pivoted at its other end to thelinks 106 and 108 by means of a stub shaft 120 subtended therebetween.

Each pad 84, 86 and 88 is provided with a vacuum chamber 122 as shown inFIG. 3 to which a small sleeve 123 is fixed in such a way as to protrudefrom the rear of the pad. Flexible tubes 124 are FIXED at one end to thesleeves 123 and are connected at their other ends to a distributor box126. A main delivery tube provides suitable communication from thedistributor box 126 to a suitable vacuum pump and control (not shown).

OPERATION OF LABEL APPLICATOR As is shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 the pickerelement 66 is actuated to swing towards the magnitude while the rockingarm 56 and glue roller 58 mounted thereon are swung downwards from thepeak of its cycle while keeping in rolling contact with the frontsurface of picker element 66, thereby applying a sufficient amount ofglue to the full face of picker element 66 which is shown in more detailin FIG. 13.

As is shown in FIG. 10, when the picker element 66 arrives in contactwith the bottom of the magazine, the three bottom labels of theindividual stacks stick to the glue supplied face to the picker element66. The picker element 66 then changes into the second phase of itscycle, or downswing, until it reaches the substantially verticalposition as shown in FIG. 11. Meanwhile, label applicator 80 has beencoactivated and swings in the direction of the bottle 32 to come intocontact with the face of picker element 66 shown in FIG. 11. As thelabel applicator 80 meets the picker element 66 as shown in FIG. 11, thepads 84 86 and 88 coincide with the labels 27 and 28 and 29 which haveadhered to the glue on the picker element blades 68 and 70. The vacuumsystem is then activated, whereby the pads 84, 86 and 88 retain therespective labels 27, 28 and 29. Meanwhile, the picker element blades 68and 70 move apart, as shown in FIG. 14, thereby disengaging themselvesfrom the glued portion of labels 84, 86 and 88 and allowing the labelapplicator 80 which now retains the labels 27, 28 and 29 to move in itscontinuous upswing between the picker element blades 68 and 70.

The label applicator 80 continues its upswing until it comes intocontact with bottle 32. The linkage arrangement described above allowsthe pad 88 to move forward of the pads 84 and 86 until it comes intocontact with the neck 33. At this point, the pressure on the labelscaused by the vacuum is released and the labels adhere to the bottle 32.

blades as and 7b of picker element as close back together and it beginsits upward back to its picking position against magazine ill.

During this time, the glue roller 58 has been in contact with the glueroller till of the glue bath db. As the picker element as proceedsthrough its swing towards the magazine 42, the glue roller Eill movesfrom the glue bath id to return to a ready position at the uppermostextremity of its cycle. As the picker element as moves through itsupswing, glue roller 5% again moves into rolling contact with the facesof blades as and 70 thereby applying a film of glue across the face, andthe cycle is repeated.

FORMING APPARATUS The bottle 33 is then moved on conveyor 30 until itfaces forming station 3b. As previously mentioned, the labels 27 and 2bapplied to the body of the bottle are completely formed and adhered tothe face of the body. However, the neck wrapper lid has only been tackedto the neck 33 and remains in a substantially flat plane, as shown inH6. 3. The action of station as is to bend the ends 29a and b of theneck wrapper W partially about the sides of the neck of bottle 32,leaving the neck wrapper 2) in a U-shaped form ready for the wrappingoperation of wrapping station 38.

To this end station as includes a reciprocating arm 15b operablyassociated with a slide 1132. A conventionally operated lever (notshown) is connected to arm will and moves it in a linear reciprocatingpath in cooperation with stations 3d and 3b and the conveyor 3b. At theprojecting end of arm llbb, adjustable roller bracket th s is mountedwhereby it subtends two parallel, vertical rollers 13% and 15h spacedapart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the neck 33.

As the reciprocating arm slides forward towards the neck of the bottlethe rollers lliiti and llfid contact the ends 2% and 2% respectively ofthe neck wrapper 29 at locations spaced from the tacked portion andpress these ends 29a and 29b of the neck wrapper Slit against the sidesof the neck 33, whereby the glue previously applied to neck wrapper 29adheres to the neck 33 and withholds the neck wrapper 2'9 in asubstantially ill-shaped form.

The conveyor is then actuated to move the bottle 32 to a position facingwrapping station 3%. At station 3b the forming operation started atforming station 36 is completed. First, one end 33% of the neck wrapper29 is completely wrapped its full extend about part of the neck 33. Thenthe other end 29b is overlapped over the first end 29a until only ashort end portion remains unwrapped. Finally, the short end is wrappedand the overlapping portion is again submitted to pressure in order toensure that the neck wrapper Z9 is completely wrapped about the neck 33.

in order to perform the above-described operation the wrapping stationincludes a reciprocating carriage 2% moving to and from the bottle neck33 on a resting block 200 with sliding faces. lkesting block Ebb ismounted on a frame 203 which is in turn secured to the base lid of thebottling machine by means of bolts 2M. Frame 2M3 comprises a base plate203 to which front and rear support members 207 and 209 are mounted,supporting the resting block.

Carriage ass (FlG. iii) comprises an elongated, hollow, boxlikeconstruction open at both ends, and provided with adjustable linerplates hilt; studded with freely rolling ball bearings hllii. The ballbearings 20b are kept in close rolling contact with the sliding faces ofresting block 20b.

An articulated linkage 21b is connected between the carriage Edit andactuating means (not shown) on the bottling machine to move the carriage262 to and from bottle 32. it comprises an upright rocking arm 212connected to one end to the actuating means and at its uppermost end itis articulated with a short horizontally disposed linkage arm are.Linkage arm its is in turn articulated to a spring-biased linkage armills. Linkage arm 2M5 on the other hand is rotatably mounted about a pinZillb protruding from a side wall and near the rear of carriage 202. Ashort helical spring 220 is connected between one edge of linkage armBid and an abutment 222 mounted on the carriage 2602. Therefore, asrocking arm are travels through the peak of its arc of oscillation thelinkage arms bib and 2M straighten out from their original relativeright-angled position, as shown in lFlG. lb, thereby compensating forthe increase in distance between the uppermost portion of rocking arm212 as it travels through its arcuate locus and the pin 2th whichfollows a linear locus.

At the front end of carriage 202 the top wall 2M projects forward at anangle to one side of the carriage 202 to from bracket member ass. Bottomwall 225 also projects towards the same location in order to form acoincident companion bracket member 228. Bottom wall 225 also extendsforward and towards the opposite side of carriage 202 forming a bracket230.

A pin 232 is mounted on the bracket ass and mounts an arm 23s forrotation in a horizontal plane. Similarly, a pin 23b is mounted to thebottom of bracket 23b in the same vertical axis as the pin 232. An arm23%, identical to arm 2%, is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane,to the pin ass. Arms 23d and 23b in turn subtend a shaft Mill in avertical axis.

At the end of arm 234 about the pin 232 an elongated camming finger 242projects laterally to one side relative to the axis or movement of thecarriage. A spring M3 is secured at one end to the carriage 2M and atthe other end to the camming finger M2, thereby biasing arms 23 i and23b. On the arm 23b at the same end a camming finger 2445 projectslaterally but towards the opposite side relative to camming finger Mil.

Mounted to and extending rearwardly of support member 207 is ahorizontal shelf ass mounting an upstanding cylindrical cam 2A8 adaptedto be associated with camming finger M2 when the apparatus is inoperation.

Similarly, a horizontal shelf 25b is mounted to but extends forward ofsupporting member 2b! and mounts an upstanding cylindrical earn .152which is in the path of camming finger Ms.

A pair of identical bellcranks 2M and 256 are mounted for rotation inhorizontal planes about shaft 2st). The ends of arms 258 and can (nowshown) of bellcranks 25d and 256 respectively subtend a shaft 262 havinga vertical axis. On the other hand, the ends of arms ass and 266 ofbellcranks 25d and 2% respectively subtend a shaft 268 also having avertical axls.

A further straight connecting arm 26S is rotatably mounted to the bottomwall 22$ at one end and. is rotatably mounted to shaft 268 at the otherend. Thus a quadrangular structure is provided.

Mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane about the shaft 362 is an arm2'70 and a companion parallel arm 272 which in turn subtend a freerolling tapered brush 274 which is adapted to contact the neck wrapperhit on one side of neck 33 during the wrapping operation.

Similarly, companion arms 27s and $78 are rotatably mounted on shaft Ebband subtend a tapered brush Elli).

Suitable spring-biased adjustment brackets 2M and 2M are providedbetween arm 2% and 27b and M ll and 27d respectively in order to biasthem in a predetermined position.

Mounted to supporting member 207 is a forwardly extending bracket memberass. Pivoted to the end of bracket member Ebb mounting an abutment pad290 which is adapted to rest against the cap of bottle 32 in operation.in is in turn connected to movable shaft 24% by connecting member 292.

OPERATION OF WRAPPKNG STATlON 38 In order to more clearly describe theoperation of wrapping station 3h, only those members which. can be seenin the plan views shown in FIGS. Zll to 33 will be described. it isobvious that all the pairs of elements involved act as integral units inthe operation of the wrapping station 3b.

At the beginning of its cycle, carriage 202 is at its most rearwardposition on resting block 200. Cam finger 242 abuts cylindrical cam 248,thus working against spring 243 and keeping the shaft 240 in a rearwardposition. it brushes 274 and 280, therefore, are in a receded positionas is the abutment pad 290.

As the cycle begins, rocking arm 212 travels forward through its arc,moving carriage 202 forward on resting block 200 through theintermediary of linkage arm 214 and 216. As the carriage moves forward,the arm 234 which forms part of the quadrangular structure rotatescounterclockwise about the pin 232 caused by the resilient action ofspring 243 working on camming finger 242. Thus the shaft 240 is movedforward pushing arms 258 and 270 forward so that the brush 274 is movedinto contact with the end 290 of neck wrapper 29, as shown in FIG. 20.

The carriage moves forward until the camming finger 242 is removed fromcontact with the cam 248 thus allowing the arm 234 to rotate to thelimit of its counterclockwise movement. Because of the action of spring243 on the arm 234, the structural quadrangle partly collapses to theleft, thus pushing the arm 270 with the brush 274 to its fullest extentin allowing it to follow a closed path about the neck 33.

At about the same time, camming finger 244 comes into contact with carn252 thereby forcing the arm 234 through a clockwise rotational movement,thereby reopening the quadrangle and forcing arm 270 with brush 274 toretreat sideways from the neck wrapper end 29a on the neck 33. However,as the structural quadrangle is opened, the bellcrank arm 264 has beenforced to push the arm 176 and brush 280 through a path in rollingcontact with the other side of the bottle whereby the roller 280 followsa path partially about the neck 33 by overlapping the neck wrapper end29b about the end 290.

The carriage 202 has now completed the full forward phase of its cycle.

The carriage 202 immediately begins its rearward phase of the cyclethereby retracting roller 280 on are 276 through the same path itfollowed in the forward phase, thus doubly securing the neck wrapper 29bto the neck 33. As carriage 202 continues to retreat, the am 270carrying roller 274 is made to retract through the same path as itoriginally followed, since the camming fingers 244 lose contact with thecam 252, thereby causing the arm 234 to begin a counterclockwiserotation, thus closing the quadrangle anew and forcing the roller 274 tofollow along the side of neck 33 making doubly sure that the neckwrapper is well applied. The carriage 202 moves completely back to itsoriginal position whereby the apparatus is in the position shown in FIG.and ready to begin a new cycle.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for wrapping a label about the neck of a bottlecomprising means for moving a bottle along a given path intermittently;means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck of said bottle, a base;a block mounted on said base and extending laterally of the path oftravel, a carriage mounted on said block and adapted for relativemovement along an axis extending laterally of said path of travel, thecarriage being reciprocal along said axis, means for reciprocating saidcarriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottle along said path,at least a pair of first arms articulately connected to the carriage andextending towards said path in the direction of said axis, a bellcrankmember pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary arm resilientlyarticulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, the free ends ofsaid bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis of reciprocation, saidsecond arms each supporting wiper means adapted to apply pressure tosaid label to be wrapped in successive movements about the neck ofbottle, and means engageable with said first arms for causing thesecondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure about opposite portionsof the neck of said bottle.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said first armmembers connected to the carriage is pivoted in a horizontal plane tothe carriage and to the free end of a lever of said bellcrank member andanother of said first arms connected to the carriage is pivotallymounted to the carriage in a horizontal plane and includes a pair ofcontrolling cam levers which are adapted to engage predetenninatelylocated cam members to provide the necessary wiping movement of therollers on the ends of the inwardly extending arms as the carriage isbeing moved to and from the path.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the secondary armsmounting the wipers are pivotally mounted in a horizontal plane to theends of the levers of the bellcrank member and are spring loaded forinward articulation.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wipers are in the formof roller brushes.

5. An apparatus for applying labels to bottles, including a firstlabel-applying station comprising an apparatus for applying labels to abottle, and particularly for applying a label to the neck of a bottle,the apparatus comprising means for intermittently conveying the bottlein a predetermined path, labelapplying means including a label magazinelabel, picking means movable to and from the magazine and adapted towithdraw at least two exposed labels from the magazine, transfer meansoperative to receive the label from the picking means when the pickingmeans is retracted from said magazine, means operative to move saidtransfer means from a transfer position to a label applying position,whereby said labels are applied to the body and neck of the bottle, thetransfer means including a first elongated member pivotally mounted froma transfer position to a label-applying position adjacent the bottle, abracket mounting at least a label-applying pad, pivotally mounted to theelongated member, a second elongated member pivoted to the frame andspaced from the first elongated member, link means pivotally connectedto the second elongated member and the bracket pivoted to the firstelongated member, a bellcrank member pivotally connected to the end ofthe first elongated member with a label-applying pad mounted to onelever of the bellcrank member, and link means connected to the pivotpoint of the bracket and the link means between the second elongatedmember and the bracket and connected to the free lever of the bellcrankmember, such that when the first elongated member is in the transferposition, the pads are in the same plane and when the first elongatedmember is pivoted to a bottle-applying position, the label-applying padon the lever of the bellcrank member is pushed forward of the planedefined by the pad on the bracket to a position adjacent the neck of thebottle; a forming station downstream of the label applying station alongthe predetermined ath having reciprocal forming means adapted toreciprocate in an axis lateral to the predetermined path for engagingthe label tacked to the neck of the bottle and for partially forming itabout the neck thereof; a neck-wrapping station downstream of theneck-forming station comprising an apparatus for wrapping a label aboutthe neck of a bottle comprising means for moving a bottle along a givenpath intermittently; means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck ofsaid bottle; a base, a block mounted on said base and extendinglaterally of the path of travel, a carriage mounted on said block andadapted for relative movement along an axis extending laterally of saidpath of travel, the carriage being reciprocal along said axis, means forreciprocating said carriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottlealong said path, at least a pair of first arms articulately connected tothe carriage and extending towards said path in the direction of saidaxis, a bellcrank member pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary areresiliently articulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, thefree ends of said bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis ofreciprocation, said second arms each supported wiper means adapted toapply pressure to said label to be wrapped in successive movements aboutthe neck of the bottle, and means engageable with said first arms forcausing the secondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure aboutopposite portions of the neck of said bottle.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said first armmembers connected to the carriage is pivoted in a horizontal plane tothe carriage and to the free end of a lever of said bellcrank member andanother of said first arms connected to the carriage is pivotallymounted to the carriage in a horizontal plane and includes a pair ofcontrolling cam levers which are adapted to engage predeterminatelylocated cam members to provide the necessary wiping movement of therollers on the ends of the inwardly extending arms as the carriage isbeing moved to and from the path.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein the secondary arms mounting the wipers are pivotally mounted ina horizontal plane to the ends of the levers of the bellcrank member andare spring loaded for inward articulation.
 4. An apparatus as defined inclaim 1 wherein the wipers are in the form of roller brushes.
 5. Anapparatus for applying labels to bottles, including a firstlabel-applying station comprising an apparatus for applying labels to abottle, and particularly for applying a label to the neck of a bottle,the apparatus comprising means for intermittently conveying the bottlein a predetermined path, label-applying means including a label magazinelabel, picking means movable to and from the magazine and adapted towithdraw at least two exposed labels from the magazine, transfer meansoperative to receive the label from the picking means when the pickingmeans is retracted from said magazine, means operative to move saidtransfer means from a transfer position to a label applying position,whereby said labels are applied to the body and neck of the bottle, thetransfer means including a first elongated member pivotally mounted froma transfer position to a label-applying position adjacent the bottle, abracket mounting at least a label-applying pad, pivotally mounted to theelongated member, a second elongated member pivoted to the frame andspaced from the first elongated member, link means pivotally connectedto the second elongated member and the bracket pivoted to the firstelongated member, a bellcrank member pivotally connected to the end ofthe first elongated member with a label-applying pad mounted to onelever of the bellcrank member, and link means connected to the pivotpoint of the bracket and the link means between the second elongatedmember and the bracket and connected to the free lever of the bellcrankmember, such that when the first elongated member is in the transferposition, the pads are in the same plane and when the first elongatedmember is pivoted to a bottle-applying position, the label-applying padOn the lever of the bellcrank member is pushed forward of the planedefined by the pad on the bracket to a position adjacent the neck of thebottle; a forming station downstream of the label applying station alongthe predetermined path having reciprocal forming means adapted toreciprocate in an axis lateral to the predetermined path for engagingthe label tacked to the neck of the bottle and for partially forming itabout the neck thereof; a neck-wrapping station downstream of theneck-forming station comprising an apparatus for wrapping a label aboutthe neck of a bottle comprising means for moving a bottle along a givenpath intermittently; means for tacking an adhesive label to the neck ofsaid bottle; a base, a block mounted on said base and extendinglaterally of the path of travel, a carriage mounted on said block andadapted for relative movement along an axis extending laterally of saidpath of travel, the carriage being reciprocal along said axis, means forreciprocating said carriage in timed relation to the advance of a bottlealong said path, at least a pair of first arms articulately connected tothe carriage and extending towards said path in the direction of saidaxis, a bellcrank member pivotally mounted to said arms, a secondary armresiliently articulated to each free end of the bellcrank member, thefree ends of said bellcrank extending at an angle to said axis ofreciprocation, said second arms each supporting wiper means adapted toapply pressure to said label to be wrapped in successive movements aboutthe neck of the bottle, and means engageable with said first arms forcausing the secondary arms and wiper means to apply pressure aboutopposite portions of the neck of said bottle.